SARAH STRASSHEIM

One of Sarah Strassheim’s University of Mary Washington professors once told her that if she started out in finance and understood the numbers, she could go anywhere in an organization.

“As a result, I started out as a finance analyst and haven’t really ever left,” says Strassheim, who now serves as chief financial officer for the newly formed global data and technology group at international advertising and public relations company Dentsu.

After spending more than a decade at Accenture, where she held several global financial and reporting systems roles, she also served as global CFO for media company Merkle, which was acquired by Dentsu in 2016. But what’s helped her stand out and move up in leadership roles over the years is that she doesn’t have a traditional finance and accounting attitude.

“I don’t enjoy the routine, predictable aspects of the financial calendar like forecasting and budgeting,” she says. “However, I’m good at understanding how the business works, what story the numbers are telling, and I can translate this to the other business leaders effectively to help them make decisions or evaluate the strategy.”

Outside of work, Strassheim stays connected to her alma mater as a member of the UMW Foundation Board of Directors and leads Mary Washington’s Charlottesville Alumni Network. She also serves on the budget advisory committee for Albemarle County Public Schools.

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